Electrical jack assembly

Abstract

An electrical jack is disclosed having an elongated nonconductive housing with a cylindrical opening for receiving a plug having tip, ring, and sleeve members. Corresponding tip, ring, and sleeve spring assemblies are positioned in the housing generally transverse to the cylindrical opening for engagement with the plug members and each assembly has a pair of break contacts which are opened to interrupt circuitry connected thereto, when the plug is fully inserted into the jack opening. The ring spring assembly is further arranged to engage the tip of the plug when the plug is partially inserted. The ring spring assembly positions the plug so that the tip and ring of the plug engage the ring and sleeve spring assemblies of the jack without opening the break contacts. Partial insertion of the plug permits bridging onto the circuit connected to the jack without interrupting the continuity of the circuitry connected through the break contacts.

We claim: 
     
       1. An electrical jack adapted to receive a plug having tip, ring and sleeve members, said jack comprising tip, ring and sleeve spring assemblies each including a pair of break contacts; said ring spring assembly also including a first and second movable spring element in electrical engagement with each other and a stationary spring element in electrical engagement with said first spring element when said plug is removed from said jack; and   each assembly positioned to engage a correspondingly named plug member to actuate said contacts when said plug is fully inserted into said jack; and   one of said movable ring spring elements adapted to engage said plug tip member and said sleeve spring assembly adapted to engage said plug ring member while maintaining said contacts closed when said plug is partially inserted in said jack.   
     
     
       2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said jack also includes a base of insulating material and wherein said movable spring elements include means for mounting said movable spring elements on said base to permit each of said first and second spring members to move independently of each other. 
     
     
       3. An electrical jack comprising an elongated nonconductive housing having a generally cylindrical opening therein along a longitudinal axis for insertion of a plug member; a first and a second contact assembly each mounted in said housing extending generally transverse to said cylindrical opening; each said contact assembly comprising   a first contact element mounted in a cantilevered manner in said housing and having a contact portion extending transversely across said cylindrical opening for electrical engagement with a portion of said plug member when inserted therein, said first contact element further including a free end movable between a first and second position in response to insertion and removal, respectively, of said plug member, and   a second contact element mounted in a cantilevered manner in said housing and having a free end, each of the free ends of said first and second contact elements including contact surfaces for electrical engagement with each other when the free end of said first contact element is in its second position; and   said first contact assembly also including a conductive spring element electrically connected to the corresponding first contact element of said first contact assembly and mounted in a cantilevered manner extending generally transversely across said cylindrical opening, said spring element having a free end movable between first and second positions independently of the corresponding first contact element in response to insertion and removal, respectively, of said plug member, said spring element also including a contact portion for electrical engagement with a portion of said plug member when inserted therein, the contact portion of said spring element in its second position being nearer the center line of said opening than the contact portion of said corresponding first contact element in its second position to electrically engage a portion of said plug member when inserted therein while maintaining said corresponding first contact element in said second position.   
     
     
       4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein the contact surfaces of said first contact assembly are electrically connected when the free end of said first contact element is in its second position and the free end of said spring element is in one of its first and second positions and wherein said contact surfaces of said first contact assembly are electrically disconnected when the free end of said first contact element is in its first position. 
     
     
       5. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein the contact portion of said spring element comprises a V-shaped tab extending into said cylindrical opening. 
     
     
       6. An electrical jack for use with a plug having tip, ring and sleeve members adjacently mounted in a fixed relationship along a common axis; said jack comprising an elongated nonconductive housing having a generally cylindrical opening therein along a longitudinal axis for receiving said plug; and   tip, ring and sleeve contact assemblies each having a first spring element mounted in said housing for engagement with the correspondingly named plug member when the plug is fully inserted in said opening, the spring elements being movable between actuated and released positions in response to the full insertion and removal, respectively, of said plug;   each said contact assembly also including a fixed spring element associated with said first movable spring element, each said spring element having a contact surface wherein the contact surfaces of associated fixed and movable spring elements are in electrical engagement when the movable one of the associated first spring elements is in its released position and said contact surfaces are disengaged when said movable spring elements are in said actuated position;   and said ring contact assembly further comprising a second movable spring element positioned to electrically engage said plug tip member when said plug is partially inserted in said opening and said plug ring member is electrically engaged with said first sleeve spring element in its released position.   
     
     
       7. The invention defined in claim 6 wherein each said first movable spring element also includes a first lug portion for connection to a first circuit, wherein each said fixed spring element also includes a second lug portion for connection to a second circuit, wherein said first and second lug portions are electrically connected together when said plug is removed from said jack opening and electrically disconnected when said plug is fully inserted in said opening. 
     
     
       8. The invention defined in claim 6 wherein said second spring element is connected to the associated movable first spring element, and wherein said second spring element comprises a movable end positioned within said opening to electrically engage the plug tip member without actuating said first movable ring spring element. 
     
     
       9. The invention defined in claim 6 wherein said second movable spring element comprises a tab portion positioned within said opening to apply a force to said plug tip member to oppose the insertion of said plug. 
     
     
       10. The invention defined in claim 9 wherein the ring member is mounted between said tip and sleeve members along said plug axis, wherein said plug also comprises electrical insulators separating adjacent ones of said plug members,   wherein said plug tip member includes a tapered portion, and   wherein said spring tab includes a V-shaped conductive member positioned to engage said tapered portion when the plug is partially inserted to provide a force along said plug axis and positioned to engage one of said insulators when said plug is fully inserted.   
     
     
       11. A multipurpose electrical jack for selectively interconnecting first and second circuits with a third circuit via a plug connected to said third circuit, said jack comprising a generally nonconductive housing having a cylindrical opening therein along a longitudinal axis for receiving said plug;   tip, ring and sleeve assemblies mounted in said housing and each having a movable spring element connected to said first circuit, said spring elements located in respective tip, ring and sleeve positions in said opening to engage a correspondingly named plug member when said plug is fully inserted therein, each said spring element being actuated only when engaged with its corresponding plug member and released in response to the disengagement of said plug member from its corresponding spring element;   each said assembly also including a fixed contact element coupled to said second circuit and positioned to electrically engage said corresponding spring element when said spring element is released thereby to interconnect said first and second circuits and to disconnect said first and second circuits when said spring element is actuated; and   an auxiliary spring element electrically connected to said movable ring spring element and located within said opening at said ring position, said auxiliary spring element including a portion for engaging said plug tip member when said plug ring member is engaged with said sleeve spring element whereby said third circuit is connected to said first and second circuits while maintaining the connection between said first and third circuits.   
     
     
       12. The invention defined in claim 11 wherein the engaging portion of said auxiliary spring element comprises a generally angular-shaped tab for positioning said plug in said cylindrical opening to permit said plug ring member to make electrical contact with said movable sleeve spring element while maintaining said sleeve spring element released. 
     
     
       13. The invention defined in claim 12 wherein additional circuit means are provided to interconnect the fixed contact elements of said tip and sleeve assemblies. 
     
     
       14. The invention defined in claim 12 wherein each said spring element includes means for mounting said spring element in a cantilevered manner to permit actuation of each spring element independently of said other spring elements.